Regionals Come To A Close Saturday

Saturday, May 31

Jacksonville, Fla.

All Day

Bowling Green State University

NCAA East Preliminary Round

May 31, 2014 | Women's Track and Field

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

Jacksonville, Fla. – Bowling Green State University's Makenzie Wheat entered Saturday's NCAA East Regional Preliminary round meet with a chance to compete in the postseason event as a freshman -- an opportunity few first-year student-athletes get. Although she entered the competition as the final qualifier in the 48-person shot put field, the experience served as an important part of her development process.

Wheat fouled on all three of her throws and failed to post a legal toss. Despite that result, it was still a highly successful trip to regionals for the Falcons.

Bowling Green was represented by five student-athletes, who competed eight times. Of those eight performances, BGSU's athletes met or exceeded their seed seven times. Redshirt junior Brooke Pleger advanced to the NCAA National Championships for the second consecutive year, placing second in the preliminary round in the hammer throw (for day one coverage CLICK HERE).

Seniors Jeanette Pettigrew and Tina Perrine closed their careers on high notes as well. Pettigrew finished well ahead of her seeds entering the meet in both the 100 and 200. Perrine set a personal best in the hammer throw on her final toss of her collegiate career. Along with those two, redshirt freshman Kori Reiser exceeded expectations in both the hammer throw and discus, finishing above her entry seed in both events (for day two coverage CLICK HERE).

Pleger will enter the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Eugene, Ore. as the No. 2 seed in the hammer throw, with the event being contested on Wednesday, June 11 at 4:30 pm. She will look to become just the second Falcon in program history to earn All-American status twice after placing seventh in the event a year ago. BGSU has had three individual national champions in school history, most recently gymnast Marny Oestreng in 1999.